Subject: The Role of Women in Maintaining
International Peace & Security

Statement by Rede: Feto Timor Lorosae a network of East Timorese women
and women's organization

On the occasion of the United Nations Security Council special session
on The Role of Women in Maintaining International Peace and Security Dili,
October 24, 2000

To the honourable members of the Security Council

First of all our expressions of solidarity to our sisters who are
partaking in this very special occasion. It saddens us deeply not to be
beside you today. We have been advised that East Timorese women do not
have a voice in today's session and indeed have been effectively silenced
because the honourable members of the Security Council were not able to
reach the required consensus as to East Timor's participation.

We understood that East Timor has always been a sensitive issue. The
former Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Alatas stated correctly that
East Timor was the pebble in Indonesia's shoe and indeed it appears the
international community's as well. The Indonesian occupation of East Timor
tried to silence our people with violent oppression. It concerns us deeply
that in the first year of UN administration of our country mandated by the
Security Council itself a similar situation has arisen whereby our voices
will once again be silenced. Nonetheless we have decided to make this
statement in the hope that it will also contribute to this discussion.

The issues to be discussed by NGOs, UN Agencies and country
representatives will discover that there are many similarities in the
struggle for peace and security with the situation of the women of East
Timor. In East Timor, experience has shown that an oppressive colonial
mentality has led to women being considered by men as someone who is weak.
Women have suffered a double consequence in this armed conflict. Since the
invasion by Indonesia, the women of East Timor have always been conscious
and determined as women and as mothers of Timorese citizens. During the
long conflict, which has transcended strategic processes, women have
suffered innumerable sacrifices.

From the invasion of 1975, Timorese women have contributed to all
aspects of the resistance in the mountains: Timorese women were at once
mothers, responsible for basic household duties and taking care of
children. We assisted FALINTIL (the armed resistance of East Timor) in the
preparation of food and other natural resources for combat rations, in the
making of backpacks from palm-leaves for carrying munitions and for
washing the clothes of FALINTIL as well as being fighters ourselves.

Women functioned as a security watch in the free zones, taking combat
rations in the free zones to be transported to the operational zones as
well as taking munitions out of the operational zones into the free zones.
Women also developed literacy campaigns and cultural interchanges in the
free zones.

In Clandestine Operations women acted as the link between the
resistance inside and the Diaspora, we searched for means to obtain
munitions from our husband or brothers to increase the munitions of
FALINTIL; we wove tais and made sandals to sell them to Indonesian
soldiers as a form of exchange for fatigues or shoes for FALINTIL, we
prepared the combat rations to take to the armed resistance and during
periods when there was no water, we looked for means to provide water to
FALINTIL, and thus encountered dangerous situations.

During the military sweeps under Indonesia, we hid members of the
FALINTIL in our house and in difficult situations, took messages or urgent
letters inside our clothing or hair to aid the leadership or FALINTIL. We
contributed a monthly allowance and when captured by the Indonesian
military, we resisted and thus suffered twice as much, either by being
raped or by giving our life.

Widowed Women

We believe that at least 45% of Timorese women are widowed as a result
of having husbands killed or disappeared during the armed struggle. Often
men and youth in a whole village was killed as in Kraras in Viqueque in
the East which is now known as the village of widows. Widows must now
support their children, once again fulfilling the double function, the one
of father and mother.

Indonesia, conscious of its downfall, tried to displace the population,
removing or deporting people in 1979, 1980 and 1981. These families,
comprised primarily of women, were moved to either the island of Atauro or
the island of Jako where they would not survive. As you know this tactic
was once again used in September last year which resulted in the largest
displacement of East Timor's population internally and across the border
into West Timor where many of our fellow East Timorese are still being
held against their will.

Single Mothers

We know that colonialism leaves vestiges where it passes; the same
thing has happened in East Timor where many children have been left
without a father. Children have often been born as a result of rape but
the mothers have raised the children to oppose the Indonesian
administration and become part of the resistance.

Political Context and the road towards peace

A new phase was entered by the Resistance as a result of the May 5
agreement of 1999 brokered by the UN between the governments of Portugal
and Indonesia which paved the way for the ballot The vote against autonomy
with Indonesia resulted in the separation of East Timor from Indonesia.

The Timorese women actively participated in the pre-referendum
campaigns, reclaiming our right as human beings, a right for which many
were assassinated. After the arrival of UNAMET in East Timor, women's
organizations in several regions developed various

means to support the referendum campaign. We understood the great risk
but our will to be free was overwhelming. Above all we wanted to vote for
the future of our children in a free, peaceful East Timor free from
violence and oppression.

Various peace building attempts preceded the 5 May agreement. The UN
organized Intra-Timorese Dialogues was the first concrete step for
Timorese participation. We were disappointed that the first round of talks
included only one Timorese woman and the final round several years later
had increased the participation of Timorese women to only three out of 45
participants. Although we also participated and suffered in the struggle
our participation in peace making has been limited. But we have embraced
and welcomed the small opportunities given and have every effort not to be
forgotten or overlooked.

UNTAET

Today we have entered a new stage, the final stage until full
independence for East Timor under United Nations Administration. However,
it has become apparent that even with the UN's presence in East Timor, the
women of East Timor still have a double battle to fight. We must combat
our own society's views of the role of women, the traditional ties that
bind while at the same time continuously advocating to the UNTAET and the
East Timor Transitional Administration (ETTA) for policies and hiring
practices that include women.

For example, the initial National Consultative Council set up by UNTAET
had only 3 East Timorese women on a Council of 12. The newly created
National Council has 13 East Timorese women (out of a total of 36
positions); this is an encouraging development, but there is still much to
be achieved towards full equality.

The civil service being developed by the UN employs less than 20% women
despite of a policy adopted by UNTAET of a 30% affirmative action policy
for women. Nonetheless women comprise more than 50% of the total
population in East Timor right now. Until we reach equal participation on
the political, economic and social front, our fight is not finished.

To conclude we would hope and indeed urge the Security Council to take
measures towards redressing these very serious concerns. We are most
grateful for the UN presence in our country, but feel very strongly that
operations like the United Nations Transition Administration in East Timor
(UNTAET) post conflict can be more successful and contribute more
effectively through careful planning and it truly must be done in
partnership with existing local structures and institutions. In the case
of gender equity and women's rights mechanisms must be developed
consciously and mandated to meet requirements in CEDAW and the UN's own
gender mainstreaming policies.

We thank you for your consideration of our statement highlighting
issues of women of East Timor, and of women in conflict and post-conflict
situations in general and trust that the Security Council will adopt the
necessary measures to ensure gender justice.

*This statement was prepared by the Rede: Feto Timor Lorosae and Ms
Albina Freitas also chosen to attend the session

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